Masse Claims Seekonk Checkers
SEEKONK, MA — June 7, 2014 — Bellingham, MA driver Steve Masse became the fifth different winner in as many races in the Valenti Modified Racing Series on Saturday night. This was the first win of the season for Masse, and the eighth since he joined the series in 2008.
If the qualifying races were any indication of things to come, the fans in attendance were not disappointed. Anthony Nocella driving the Nocella Paving #92 out of Woburn, MA paced the field to the starting line with Masse on the outside. When John Spence, Jr. dropped the green, the mad scramble was on and Nocella quickly jetted away with Dan Meservey, Jr. of Brewster, MA nosing out Masse for the runner-up spot. Masse powered his way past Meservey on lap four, while Tom Abele, Jr. of Baltic, CT used the Masse draft to pull into third spot. Deep in the pack heavy hitters like Justin Bonsignore of Islip, NY, Max Zachem of Preston, CT, Chris Pasteryak of Lisbon, CT, Todd Szegedy of Ridgefield, CT and defending champion Rowan Pennink of Huntingdon Valley, PA were fighting for every inch they could gain. By lap 9, Masse made his move and shot by Nocella for the lead, a lead he would not give up for the remainder of the race.
For the next 15 laps, Masse pushed his car just hard enough to keep Nocella and the rest at his back bumper. The first of seven cautions came on lap 26 when Jonny Kay of Deerfield Beach, FL spun in turn four. Now everyone could catch their breath while the field realigned. Masse paced the pack with Nocella to the high side, Abele, Jr. and rookie Mike Willis, Jr. of Grantham, NH following in row two. The restart was quickly followed by another caution for debris between turns three and four. When racing went back to green, Justin Bonsignore took full advantage and shot by Dana Smith of Sunapee, NH into the fifth position. The pack dogged the leader but Masse, who usually shows his strength late in a race, was enjoying the clean air out front. A lap 31 yellow for Mike Holdridge of Madison, CT tightened the field for a third time and when the green reappeared, the dog fight resumed.
By lap 36 the Abele car started to fade, while Willis, Jr., Bonsignore and veteran Norm Wrenn of Nashua, NH took advantage, moving up into third through fifth respectively. Still at the front, Masse led all competitors, when at lap 49 the ill handling mount of Abele spun in turn one. The restart had the same two combatants side by side again, Masse inside, Nocella outside. Green flew and so did the leaders, running inches apart for a lap until Masse nosed ahead for the lead. Bonsignore was taking full advantage of each restart to gain positions as he powered by Willis, Jr. into third. Just over halfway Dwight Jarvis of Ascutney, VT, making his first start this year, spun in turn two. This restart had the leader board showing 44 laps left to go. Norm Wrenn was flexing his muscle and raced by Willis, Jr. for fourth position by lap 63, and finally Masse had some breathing room as he moved out to a five car length lead…but the yellow flew again and the pack was bunched up.
At the drop of the green Bonsignore knew he had to go and worked over the Nocella #92, first inside, then outside but didn’t have enough to pull off the pass. While second through 15th ran bumper to bumper, wheel to wheel, Masse ran out to an eight car length lead. With the laps running out, Bonsignore tried every trick he could, while behind him, Rowan Pennink slid by Wrenn for fourth. With five laps to go, Jeff Pearl of Salem, CT spun in turn four and the last caution of the night came out. Now the stage was set for a final run to the checkered.
On the restart the action got more intense as Nocella got hit from behind in turn two setting up a mad scramble to the finish. Nocella got shuffled out of line, as there were some hungry drivers looking to take advantage of his misfortune. At the finish line Masse was not to be denied and drove the ELGEE sponsored #13 for the win in the VMRS Seekonk 100. Justin Bonsignore, Norm Wrenn, Max Zachem and David Schneider rounded out the top five. Nocella would finish 19th on the grid.
Track: Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk MA
Length of Track: 0.333
Margin of Victory: 0.612
Best Lap: 12.325
Best Lap by #13 Steve Masse
Time of Race: 41:58:6.31
Lap leaders: #92 laps 1-8, #13 laps 9-100
Cautions: laps 26, 26, 31, 49, 65, 95
Heat Winners: #13 Steve Masse, #14 Dana Smith, #53 Norm Wrenn
Consi Winner: #19 David Schneider
Next VMRS Race June 20th, Stafford Motor Speedway
Seekonk 100 VMRS
Seekonk, MA
June 7, 2014
Unofficial Race Results
1. #13 Steve Masse
2. #21 Justin Bonsignore
3. #53 Norm Wrenn
4. #20CT Max Zachem
5. #19 David Schneider
6. #85 Todd Szegedy
7. #5CT Chris Pasteryak
8. #11 Geoff Gernhard
9. #38 Mike Willis Jr.
10. #46 Jonny Kay
11. #77 Matt Mead
12. #99 Richard Savary
13. #28 Dwight Jarvis
14. #66 Dylan Kopec
15. #80 Dick Houlihan
16. #25 Rowan Pennink
17. #50 Carl Medeiros Jr.
18. #90 Jeff Pearl
19. #92 Anthony Nocella
20. #0 Mike Holdridge
21. #14 Dana Smith
22. #32 Tom Abele Jr.
23. #33 Rob Richardi
24. #45 Dan Meservey Jr.
Sources: Jim Snape
Photo: Crystal Snape